What can you tell me about Lynskey?

From what I've heard they are the former Litespeed owners. I've seen just a couple here in Wisconsin. Anyone know much about the company and their bikes?

A Ti manufacturer worth considering?

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“If the natural tendencies of mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the legislators and their appointed agents also belong to the human race? Or do they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of mankind?” ― Frédéric Bastiat

My 1996 Classic is the nicest bike I own. The welds are just stunning. Even back then they did their own tubing manipulation. The three tubes of the main triangle on mine are all custom tapered and custom butted. The tapering is so subtle that, unless you're looking for it, you don't even notice it.

If the new ones ride and handle only half as well as my 16-year-old one does, you're in for a real treat.

------------------------------------------------"My two favorite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: Riding a bike to the library."—Peter Golkin

They make small batches of ti framed bikes at a time and are very good bikes. When I cracked my Bianchi Infinito carbon frame last September, I did a lot of research and spent a lot of time on the phone with Don in the Tennessee main office. I was determined to buy a ti bike, but Bianchi and I reached an agreement on the frame replacement cost, and I ended up with a new Infinito frame.

Lynskey makes several models of road bike and mountain bike frames, however, they do not make their own front fork. Most of the time, the frame and fork colors are different, which was a turn-off for me. There's a lot of "add-ons" to consider when buying a Lynskey ti bike that add to your costs. You'll need to consider the cost of adding your own components. For me, it came out way more expensive than I thought it would, so I went back to carbon.

Overall, they seem to be a very successful, small company with a fantastic reputation for good quality bikes.

In the world of titanium, I tend to think Lynskey has been surpassed by newer builders. There are some design and finishing elements to their bikes I feel don't warrant the dollars they fetch. The work they do for Salsa is excellent for the price, but the retail price for a nice Lynsky frame is just too high for what I feel you get.

In the world of premium ti, I have my own list of favorites. Leading the way is Form Cycles. A quick view of their NHABS bikes will win you over. Then, there's always Moots. Damn hard to beat Moots on any level from value to the whole customer experience. Nicest people you'll ever meet. I also still like the work Seven does.

There are plenty of others from Kent Erikson (original Moots founder) to Tom Kellog, Steve Potts (been building for 30+ years), and a few others.

I'll toss in my bias - As a frame builder myself I am beyond picky. I don't do ti, simply because others do it so well. My wife owns a Moots and my Form ti is in the frame jig this week getting built. That's where our money goes.

I also have had weird interactions with Lynskey, but that's another matter.

They make really nice bikes. I see a lot of them on the roads, I think since they're semi-local in Steamboat Springs. One guy that I occasionally ride with got a custom Moots last year. The welds are seamless. Their cable guides are works of art. It looks sweet.

Moots is in my opinion one of the best frame manufacturers in the world. There's an exacting proficiency and professionalism at Moots that's second to none. Few companies of any kind achieve the level of excellence that Moots maintains from top to bottom in their organization. Their product development is top shelf. Their machining and welding is impecible. Their customer service unrivaled. As a business alone I envy them. As a cyclist I lust after their frames - and I do mean EVERY ONE they make.

Thanks. In the back of my mind I know I'd be happy with a Moots or Seven. The Lynskey idea came up because they happen to have something in their "Loft" that might work for me. We're short on Moots dealers here in Wisconsin. The one closest to me doesn't even stock a frame, and I have no confidence in them handling the fit.

I guess I could pick up the frame from them, and handle the rest elsewhere.

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“If the natural tendencies of mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the legislators and their appointed agents also belong to the human race? Or do they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of mankind?” ― Frédéric Bastiat

a friend of mine has a moots. very nice bike, but it has little wheels. another friend has a Potts. really nice bike. thought if i ever went with one bike it might be this. ti fargo. carbon fork and wheels, call it a day.

I don't think anyone is saying Lynskey makes inferior products, just that there are more lustworthy Ti bikes out there. If they have a deal that's worth it to you I think it would be worthwhile to consider.

I looked at them and Moots a few years back but they were out of my budget. I was leaning towards a Moots but I was also impressed with Lynskey.

If they have a deal that's worth it to you I think it would be worthwhile to consider.

Yep. At some point this becomes about value, and even that's hard to digest as a top tier Moots can set you back $3800...for a frame. I think my Form would probably fetch $4100 with all the options I requested. A top tier Lynskey doesn't quite justify the price in my mind. Not that it's a bad frame, far from it, but sometimes they struggle to produce the product worthy of the price. I think that Ti Fargo Monkey pictured retails for about $2000 which is pretty awesome.

Originally posted by Badgerwurst:From what I've heard they are the former Litespeed owners. I've seen just a couple here in Wisconsin. Anyone know much about the company and their bikes?

A Ti manufacturer worth considering?

I have a 2001 Tuscany that I have over 26k miles on, and I love the bike. I have recently ordered a custom Lynskey Sportif that I should be picking up this week. For my money, the only frame materials worthy of consideration are Ti or Steel! (My opinion). To me, carbon has a dead feel akin to a wooden sawhorse on wheels. Forget Al!!!!

My dealings with Don at Lynskey have left me with mixed feelings. Although I am a vet with VA disability, they told me that the discount applies only to stock frames - not to any custom or semi custom work. I went with Lynskey because of pleaseure with the Tuscany, and I figured that if the Tuscany was great, then any of their Ti frames should also be good.

I will provide a further report once I get some miles on the frame. BTW, I hve heard good reports on Moots and Seven frames.

Originally posted by velobro.1:In the world of titanium, I tend to think Lynskey has been surpassed by newer builders. There are some design and finishing elements to their bikes I feel don't warrant the dollars they fetch. The work they do for Salsa is excellent for the price, but the retail price for a nice Lynsky frame is just too high for what I feel you get.

Could you be more specific about what you mean here, especially in terms of finishing? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I'd like to know.

[Disclaimer, I teach writing and rhetoric and thus when I see an assertion such as the above, I expect such an assertion to be detailed and backed up with something--logic, evidence, some kind of example, etc.]

Basic unfinishe Lynskey frames are unfinished Ti metal. They have brushed finishes, or polished finishes. If you want it painted, it will cost more. That's what kind of turned me off was the black fork they get from another manufacturer and the plain steel ti color. Just didn't look right, in my opinion. Having it powder coated or painted will cost much more.

I for one love the look of brushed titanium, and consider painted ti frames borderline sacrilege.

I understand it's a personal preference, but I agree.

Heading to a Seven dealer tomorrow, and Moots the next day. Still sorting it out.

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“If the natural tendencies of mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the legislators and their appointed agents also belong to the human race? Or do they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of mankind?” ― Frédéric Bastiat

I for one love the look of brushed titanium, and consider painted ti frames borderline sacrilege.

I understand it's a personal preference, but I agree.

Heading to a Seven dealer tomorrow, and Moots the next day. Still sorting it out.

04-11-12 - Picked up my new Lynskey Sportif R230! Bike looks super with brushed finish and laser etching. Bike also has S&S couplings for future travel. So far have put 66 miles on bike and it seems to ride almost the same as the LiteSpeed. Geometry is a little different, but that is due to semi-custom work - horiz top tube vs sloping top tube. Bottem end seems stiffer than Tuscany when standing on pedals. Bike seems to be faster than Tuscany, but could just be due to excitement of new bike. Total cost w/tax just over 7k. About what I expected based on inflation over origial price for the Litespeed.

Good luck in your search, hope you find what you want from Moots, Seven or some other builder. Strongly recommend you try and go with a RETUL fit whether for a stock frame or custom build. If the fit is done properly, then the bike will feel like it is a part of you once you finally get it.

My wife and I have been riding our custom Lynskeys for almost four years and we love them. We chose the custom geometry option for a shorter cockpit since we each have a herniated disc in the lower back and to get our choice of paint and graphics. These frames fit great and were comfortable from the first mile. She has 11,000+ miles on hers and I have 10,000+ on mine.

I am not brand-loyal for bikes, cars, clothes or anything else. And I don't try to influence anyone's buying choices. But as an actual owner and rider of Lynskey I do want to respond to some of the comments in this thread.

Lynskey options: Lynskey offers several options as does Moots, Seven and others (want a pump peg on that Moots?) You likely won't need any of them but are there if you want and are willing to pay for them and that is why they are called "options".

Different colored frames & forks: Titanium is a gray/silver metal and carbon forks are like, you know, black. Look at Seven, Van Nicholas and other Ti builders and you will see the same thing. I like some titanium showing but not all bare frames so I chose the single color paint and the price includes painting the fork to match. Moots color their forks to match their matt gray finish. It adds costs which are included in the frame price. Nothing is free.

Fork from another manufacturer: Lynskey is a titanium builder and doesn't make their own fork, which is a good thing. I would rather have the known quality of an Enve fork offered by Lynskey than trust the maker who puts their own name on the fork but doesn't tell you who actually makes it.

Price: American made titanium frames are expensive regardless of the maker. A couple of times each year Lynskey offers an across the board 15% price reduction and also put the fine Enve forks on sale.

Quality: Build quality is excellent on all three makes mentioned here. Last year we traveled to a century and found ourselves riding along with four guys who were friends and attending the event together. At the lunch break we spent an plesant hour with them talking and minutely examing their bare titanium bikes and our painted ones, side by side. Anyone who tell you that the build quality is better on one or the other of these two brands is likely coloring their opinion with a good bit of personal bias.

Before we bought the Lynskeys I had been looking at Moots, Seven and Lynskey but the nearest dealers were 90 minutes to two hours away. Although I really don't like the matt gray finish on the Moots I could have put up with it had there been a local dealer. But, when our favorite LBS dropped Litespeed and picked up Lynskey the choice became easy. The frame fitting and buying experience with Lynskey was very pleasant, the LBS built up the bikes with our choice of components and we couldn't be happier with the finished product. To us, having a trusted local dealer was the key in making a decision between these three fine American titanium frame makers.

If you are interested, here are a couple of Lynskey specfic links to PEZ Cycling News, an on-line cycling magazine. Hope I do this right as it has been a long, long time since I posted here.

I for one love the look of brushed titanium, and consider painted ti frames borderline sacrilege.

I've had many ti frames and even built a couple of my own. I never understood why people paint such a wonderful material as titanium. My new frame will have laser etched and media blasted logos so there's not even a decal or painted logo to damage.

Originally posted by Brucew:I own a Lynskey-era Litespeed. I bought it secondhand two years ago.

My 1996 Classic is the nicest bike I own. The welds are just stunning. Even back then they did their own tubing manipulation. The three tubes of the main triangle on mine are all custom tapered and custom butted. The tapering is so subtle that, unless you're looking for it, you don't even notice it.

If the new ones ride and handle only half as well as my 16-year-old one does, you're in for a real treat.

I have ridden litespeeds for over 20 years-two were built by Lynskey and the last two by litespeed-the first three were ultimates-my new one is the t3-I have over 100000 miles on them and I can say they are great-best bikes I ever rode-I thought the litespeed service was better and the latest litespeeds were a better deal for me-titanium is all I want-just my two cents!

They are awesome bikes. I has a Litespeed back in the 90's. Still regret selling it. Lynskey is the largest Ti bike maker in the US. When you buy a high end frame with a life time warranty, you hope the company will be around a long time (hello Serrota owners!). You won't be disappointed with the Lynskey.

UPDATE: I now have 4798 miles on my (semi-custom) Lynskey R230, and she rides well. The only drawback to outstanding performance is the motor. Taking the time for a good fit has given me a bike that fits me and rides almost identically to my '03 Litespeed Tuscany (with over 26k miles on it). For my money, the only frame materials are either Ti or Steel (my preference). Bike goes down hills like it was on rails and cockpit has not needed any adjustments since final fit after the build.

If you do go with a Lynskey, be sure to go to a reputable bike shop who can do a professional fit, and make sure you keep copies of all estimates and correspondence. I had trouble with the sales manager on getting the frame built on time. The bike shop owner/manager was outstanding in helping me get what I wanted.

About a year ago I picked up a used R320 with Ultegra bits and an alpha carbon fork (apparently Lynskey's prior go to fork). I swapped out the Ultegra components to campy, and it has fast become my favorite bike out of the fleet. Stiff rear end, smooth ride, goes where I point it.

As a 200 pound cyclist I like the idea of a metal frame instead of plastic. I have a Colnago ti bike as well, which has a very similar geometry and feel as the Lynskey, The Colnago has a beautiful paint job. Problem with paint - it gets banged up. I use my bikes for transportation as well as recreation, and they don't get kid glove treatment. Not having to see the scars of bike use on the brushed ti finish is a big plus.

I doubt one could go wrong with any of the ti frame builders listed in this thread, but they are all spendy. I justify it using the IRS mileage rate for my commute miles.

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